Program Manager (AI)

TL;DR

Program Manager (AI): Managing end-to-end technical delivery of frontier AI solutions for UK public sector and defence accounts with an accent on security compliance, data sovereignty, and regulatory requirements. Focus on bridging AI/ML technical capabilities with government needs, navigating complex procurement, and managing high-stakes deployments in regulated environments.

Location: Hybrid (London, UK). Must be eligible for UK government security clearance (Top Secret preferred).

Company

Cohere is a leading security-first enterprise AI company that builds cutting-edge foundation AI models and end-to-end products for real-world business problems.

What you will do

• Lead end-to-end technical program delivery for UK public sector and defence customers from initial deployment through production scaling.
• Translate complex government requirements regarding security, compliance, and data sovereignty into actionable engineering plans.
• Act as the primary technical point of contact for departmental CIOs, IT directors, and technical teams.
• Manage project schedules and dependencies across government departments, security authorities, and internal teams.
• Coordinate technical work for model customization, security hardening, and integration with government systems.
• Represent the company's technical capabilities in sensitive government and defence contexts.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience as a customer-facing Technical or Engineering Program Manager in AI/ML consulting or enterprise software delivery.
• Experience working with government, defence, or heavily regulated customers.
• Eligible to obtain UK government security clearance (Top Secret preferred).
• Strong understanding of enterprise software deployment architectures (cloud, on-premises, hybrid, air-gapped).
• Proven track record of managing complex, multi-stakeholder technical programs with stringent compliance.
• Excellent executive communication and stakeholder management skills.

Nice to have

• Active UK government Secret or Top Secret clearance.
• Experience with Azure, AWS GovCloud, or Protected B/C environments.
• Background in UK defence, intelligence, or critical infrastructure sectors.
• Project management certification (PMP, PgMP) or government-specific methodologies.

Culture & Benefits

• 6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days).
• Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget for mental health.
• Pension Scheme, 401K, and RRSP matching.
• 100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months for either parent.
• Weekly lunch stipend of £75 and a $500 home office stipend.
• Annual enrichment benefits for arts, culture, fitness, and professional learning.